Mass Comm. Dept. emerges champions at CIS Debate, Quiz contest
By Abubakar Abdulquadri
Students of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, have emerged the overall winners at the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences (CIS) Debate and Quiz Competition.
The grand finale and awards ceremony of the competition took place last Monday( April 27, 2026) at the Faculty Lecture Theatre.
In the Debate category, Peace Atere and Afolabi Hassana, both of the Department of Mass Communication, clinched the first place, while David Adesina and Peace Roberts of the Department of Information Technology finished as runners-up.
In the Quiz segment, the Department of Mass Communication secured the first position, followed by the Department of Computer Science as runner-up, while the Department of Information Technology came third.
For the public speaking category, Peace Roberts of the Department of Information Technology emerged winner. Oni Michael of the Department of Mass Communication was first runner-up, while Fahm Summayah Adenike of the Department of Computer Science was second runner-up.
In her remarks at event, the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Saudat Salah Abdulbaqi, commended all the participating Departments for their impressive performances, particularly in the Debate segment.
She noted that contestants were given only 15 minutes to prepare on unfamiliar topics, yet they delivered insightful presentations.
“That shows the quality of students we have. They can think on their feet, proffer solutions, and respond effectively to emerging challenges,” she said.
Prof. Abdulbaqi described the overall performance, especially in the public speaking segment, as exceptional, praising the students’ intellectual capacity, confidence, and composure under pressure.
She also lauded the organisers, particularly the Coordinator and Matron of the Faculty Debate Society, Dr Ganiyat Balogun, for her dedication and commitment to grooming students for excellence.
The Dean revealed plans to expand the initiative into a University-wide competition, explaining that the current Faculty-level contest represents the preliminary stage, while outstanding participants would advance to compete with students from other Faculties.
She expressed optimism that CIS students would excel at higher levels and potentially represent the University in national and international competitions.
Prof. Abdulbaqi, however, appealed to the University management to provide more support and facilities to enhance the programme and boost students’ performance.
Also speaking, the Matron and Staff Adviser of the competition, Dr Balogun of the Department of Computer Science, noted that this is the third edition of the Faculty competition since its inception..
According to her, the competition is designed to provide students with a platform to showcase their intellectual and creative abilities, while preparing them for global relevance.
She added that the event is currently an inter-departmental competition, with plans underway to expand it into an inter-Faculty contest at the University level.
Dr Balogun also appreciated the continued support of the University management and referenced the performance of the institution at the 2026 Dual Competition, where the University of Ilorin ranked among the top 16 teams that reached the quarter-final stage.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of certificates and medals to winners across all categories.
